Illuminating device for use on unit gun sights



' July 27,1926.

c. PAuLus ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR USE ON UNIT GUN SIGHTS :Filed June 9; 1925' 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 31M.) ewlio zal Pawzua K July 27 1926.

1,594,068 C. L. PAULUS ILLUMINATING DEVICE FOR USE ON UNIT GUN SIGHTS Filed June 9, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet z sight tube having UNITED STATES PATENT 1,594,068 OFFICE.

CHARLES L. PAULUS, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

Application filed June 9,

This invention relates to an illuminating device'for use on a unit gun sight.

The object of for the illumination of aerial machine gun sight the invention is to provide the reticle of an and also for varying the intensity or degree of illuminationof the reticle.

\Vith the above and other objects in view,

the invention consists 1n the novel. construction, combination and arrangement herein fully descrrbed, shown and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a gun sight,

showing the r'eticle illuminating means partly in elevation and partly in longitudinal section.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical longitudinal section through means.

Figure 3 is a also a fragment Figure 4 .is an end Figure 5 is a fragmentary the illuminating plan view thereof showing of the sight tube.

view thereof.

plan view of the sight tube showing the form of the illuminating orifice therem.

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing the interchangeable use of an electric resistance element tery shown in Figure 2.

in place of the bat- Figure 7 is a plan view of the electric resistance element shown in Flgure 6.

Referring now as is used upon aerial In carrying out tube 1 is formed in to the drawings,- nates the tube or barrel of a gun s1g machine guns, a reticle glass 2 therein. the present invention, the the top wall thereof with 1 desigsaid an illuminating orifice 3 shown in the form of a slit extending transversely of the tube as best shown in Figure riorly of the tube 1 is a housing 4,

The housing 4 extends covers the orifice 3.

longitudinally with respect to is substantially elliptical 5. Mounted extewhich the tube 1 and in cross section as shown in Figure 4, adapting it to enclose a two volt electric bulb or lamp and a twov cell battery for use 1n connection with said lamp.

by means of spring bands 5, which the housing substantially semi-circular are fixedly secured to 4 andnave at their extremities interfitting spring clasp portions5 and 5" as best shown in F1gure 4, for the purpose ht such 'ruumma'rme nnvrca ron use on UNIT eon srerrrs.

1923. Serial No. 644,453.

inverted cup shaped plunger 13 also mounted in the container 6. The function of the plunger 13 is not only to complete the electrical circuit but to. maintain the position of the container 6 -in the housing 4.; To this end the housing 4 is formed with a rack face or series of notches 14 adapted to be engaged by-a small projection 15 on the plunger 13. Thus the lamp circuit is maintained throughout the adjustment of the container 6 except at one end of the movement of the container when the projection 15 engages an insulated insert 16 in the housing 4, which thereby breaks the circuit.

When the lamp 9 is very near the'slit 3, the illumination 1s greatest and as the lamp 9 is moved away from the slit 3 by sliding the container 6, the illumination decreases, this being important in that it permits the degree or intensit of the illumination of the reticle to be varied to suit day and night conditions.

A closure or cover plate 17 is detachably mounted on one end of the housing 4 and is retained in place by a pair of spring catches 18 secured to OPPOSll/B sides of the housing 4 and normally bearing against the outer face of the plate 17. The has a removable plug 19 fitted inone end thereof and fastened in lace by'means of a bale shaped o erating andle 20, the terminals of whic are bent outwardly to form locking pins 21 which are inserted through holes in the flange 22 of the plug 19 and corresponding holes in the-container 6.

In case the aircraft upon which the sight is installed is equipped with a storage battery, the two-volt dry cell battery 7 may be replaced by aresistance unit shown in Figures 6 and 7. Such resistance unit is constructed in such a way as to be an exact duplicate in'size and shape of the two cell dry battery, and its function is to reduce the 12-volt storage battery current to the twovolt current required by the lamp.

It will be observed that the slit 3 in the container 6 engraved lines used on light longitudinally through the ing, and a wall of the sight tube is in such position as to bring it exactly above the reticle glass. In this position the illumination or rays of light pass through the reticle glass longitudinally, the light being interrupted by the the reticle.

Variation of the amount of illumination is obtained by moving the electric lamp toward and away from the slit in the sight tube. This has been found to give a finer variation than can be obtained by the use of resistance, or the dimming of the light? The details of construction above described permit the entire mechanism to be disassembled without the use of tools and to be quickly mounted upon and demounted from the sight tube.

claim: a

1. A gun sight tube having a reticle glass therein and also having alateral light admission orifice adapted to admit and direct reticle, a housing arranged exteriorly of said tube and over said orifice, an electric lamp movable in said housing to vary the degree of illumination of the reticle, and means for shifting said lamp, means controlled by the shifting of said lamp adapted to open and close said lamp circuit.

2. A gun sight tube having a reticle glass therein and also having a lateral "lightadmission orifice adapted to admit and direct light longitudinally through the reticle, a housing arranged exteriorly of said tube and over said orifice, an electric lamp movable in said housing to vary the intensity of the light transmitted to the reticle, means for shifting said lamp, a rack face in said housyieldable detent member shiftable with the lamp and adapted to engage said rack face.

3. A gun sight tube having a reticleglass therein and also havin a lateral'light admission orifice adapte to admit and dimenace rect light longitudinally through the reticle, a housing arranged exteriorly of said tube and over said orifice, an illuminating lamp movable in said housing and adjustable in relation to said orifice, a detachable closure for said housing and spring means for holding said closure in place.

.4. A gun sight tube having a reticle glass therein and also having a lateral light admission-orifice adapted to admit and direct light longitudinally through the. reticle, a housing arranged exteriorly of said tube and over said orifice, an illuminating lamp movable in said housing and adjustable in relation to said orifice, an electric element container slidable in said housing, an end plug for said container, and a spring handle for sliding said container and having means to fasten said plug in the container..

5. A gun sight tube having a reticle glass therein and also having a lateral light admission orifice adapted to admit and direct light longitudinally through the reticle, a housing arranged exteriorly of said tube and over said orifice, an electric lamp movable in said housing to vary the intensity of the light transmitted to the reticle, means for shifting said lamp, a rack face-in said housing, and a yieldable detent member shifta-ble with the lamp and adapted to engage said rack face and also adapted to open and close the lamp circuit.

6. A gun sight tube having a reticle glass therein an also having a light admission orifice, a housing on said tube positioned over said orifice, electric illuminating means movable in said housing and means for shifting said illuminating means in said housing to move the same to and from said orifice and means controlled by the shifting of said lamp adapted to open and close said lamp circuit.

'- In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CHARLES L. PAULUS. 

